1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle traveling control apparatus for controlling following travel in which a host vehicle travels to follow a preceding vehicle traveling ahead.
2. Related Art
In the related art, in a vehicle such as an automobile, a following travel system in which a host vehicle travels to follow a preceding vehicle traveling ahead is known. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-322916, a following travel system to follow the preceding vehicle automatically controls a steering device, a transmission, an engine, and a brake by causing a radar or a camera to trace the preceding vehicle.
In general, the above-described following travel system calculates a travel locus, on the basis of a center position in a vehicle width direction which is calculated by observing a rear area of the preceding vehicle, and controls the host vehicle so that the center position in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle coincides with the calculated travel locus.
However, if the preceding vehicle biasedly travels close to an opposite lane side or a road shoulder side, the host vehicle also biasedly travels while copying biased travel of the preceding vehicle. Therefore, in a case where a vehicle width of the preceding vehicle is smaller than a vehicle width of the host vehicle, there is a possibility that a vehicle body of a host vehicle C1 may partially protrude into lanes Lc and Ls as illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12.
In an example illustrated in FIG. 11, a preceding vehicle C2 does not protrude into the lane Lc while traveling close to the lane Lc at the center of a road RD. However, the host vehicle C1 which follows the preceding vehicle C2 has the vehicle width larger than that of the preceding vehicle C2. Thus, the vehicle body of the host vehicle C1 partially protrudes into the lane Lc at the center of the road RD. Consequently, there is a possibility that a driver may not only feel anxiety but also worry about safety.
In addition, in an example illustrated in FIG. 12, the preceding vehicle C2 does not protrude into the lane Ls while traveling close to the lane Ls on the road shoulder side of the road RD. However, the host vehicle C1 which follows the preceding vehicle C2 has the vehicle width larger than that of the preceding vehicle C2. Thus, the vehicle body of the host vehicle C1 partially protrudes into the lane Ls on the road shoulder side. Similarly, there is a possibility that the driver may not only feel anxiety but also worry about safety.